Help! Lighting Problem???

The place to discuss rides, accessories, or whatever is tangentially Spree/Elite-related

Moderator: Moderator

Post Reply
Surfing
Noob
Noob
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2008 6:53 pm

Help! Lighting Problem???

Post by Surfing »

I was riding my friends Elite S and all the lights(headlight, tailight, turn signals, gauges) suddenly turned off???

The Bike: Stock. 1994. No battery. Kickstart only.

Tried so far: 1) Replaced headlight and tailight, but blew out less than a mile. 2) Replaced with a new regulator/rectifier, but turn signals still don't work. *Didn't replace the headlight, but replaced the rear tailight with a new bulb. Works for now, until I load the system with revs. 3) Changed resistor, still the same results, no turn signals.

Want to try: 1) New ignition, but right now the bike turns off an on, so I'm not sure if that'll work. 2) New wire harness.

Help!!!
User avatar
odinxxix
CB900F
CB900F
Posts: 1628
Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2009 1:09 pm
Location: lafayette,Indiana

Re: Help! Lighting Problem???

Post by odinxxix »

have you checked for a short somewhere in the harness? headlight and tail works with out the battery. battery is needed for turn and stop lite. not really sure never messed just takeing a stab at it. someone on here will know for sure.
1986 honda spree(silver fox)
BBK
85 head
SB50 intake
SB50 reeds
taz gears
2.75X10 tires
2000 honda elite S
prodigy vari
2k grabber clutch springs
9:1 gears
jdm tail lite
1982 suzuki FA50
portable
BMX
BMX
Posts: 35
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2009 10:55 pm
Location: barrington il. 60010

Re: Help! Lighting Problem???

Post by portable »

get your VOM. and check all the ground wires in question.
mousewheels
Veteran OG
Veteran OG
Posts: 3487
Joined: Tue May 22, 2007 8:10 pm
Location: North of Seattle, WA

Re: Help! Lighting Problem???

Post by mousewheels »

The Bike: Stock. 1994. No battery. Kickstart only.

A happy thing about your observation, is that with the new regulator, you could be fine -
In general, a Honda scooter with no battery does not have the electrical power to run turn signals.
Want to try: 1) New ignition, but right now the bike turns off an on, so I'm not sure if that'll work. 2) New wire harness.
1) Ignition has no power connection to battery or lighting. No need to change that
2) I'd borrow or buy a battery before trying a harness or more.

-- Prior replies --
Headlight does not need battery power, but the taillight on US models is on switched battery power.
Check ground w/ VOM --> specifically - check ground wires for battery to frame and regulator.

-- Intersting parallel --
Lunytune's got a JDM Dio that's blown some lights too. He's had a loose battery connection, and has a theory of voltage spikes blowing bulbs. You experience is a bit similar, yet others have run w/o batteries without blowing bulbs. It could be the 94 up model reacts differently to no battery.

-- Running w/o battery --
Elitedio's been successful with an added capacitor in place of the battery on a 94' up engine. Check out the thread below.
http://www.hondaspree.net/phpBB3/viewto ... =3&t=11711
2WF
BMX
BMX
Posts: 23
Joined: Thu Jul 24, 2008 3:55 pm
Location: Honolulu Prefecture

Re: Help! Lighting Problem???

Post by 2WF »

I have a 2000 Honda Elite S, SA50P. I don't have a battery. ALL the lights work perfectly fine when I am at normal cruising speed. Once the revs dip down to idle, at a stop light for example, the headlight dims, and turn signals don't work. If I rev it up, the turn signals work fine and the headlight is very bright.

**You do not need a battery for the lights.**

The sole purpose of the battery is for the starter. All lights get their power from the stator. The regulator rectifier, regulates the current. If you have a blown regulator/rectifier, you will blow headlights and tail lights as soon as you rev the engine. Don't know if the other lights will blow, I know for sure the headlights will blow along with the tail lights.

Ignition could go haywire...If you unplug the ignition, you'll notice you can kickstart the bike, but you will not have any peripheral lights only the headlight will work. You will need the ignition to function properly for the other lights on your moped to work.

Maybe check your charging system???
mousewheels
Veteran OG
Veteran OG
Posts: 3487
Joined: Tue May 22, 2007 8:10 pm
Location: North of Seattle, WA

Re: Help! Lighting Problem???

Post by mousewheels »

2WF wrote:Ignition could go haywire...If you unplug the ignition, you'll notice you can kickstart the bike, but you will not have any peripheral lights only the headlight will work. You will need the ignition to function properly for the other lights on your moped to work.
Hi, and welcome!
:lol: :lol: Correct. Original poster just said ignition, and don't know why now ---> an assumption was it was about the CDI :oops:
2WF wrote: The sole purpose of the battery is for the starter. All lights get their power from the stator.
I'd submit battery also provides power for rear lights, turn signals and horn with the engine is running too slow for adequate stator output. And for safety it powers those items should the engine stall.

---
Going back through Surfing's post ---

Headlight blown & replaced --> Blew again!
Taillight replaced, will blow if rpms are up

I think mr portable's ground check idea is a great place to start. Your failures are on two different regulator pins - Headlight is on the AC stator, while the tail lamp is on the battery side of the regulator. Check ground closely at the regulator itself and ground as well as the battery path to ground.
Attachments
Elite_Regulator.JPG
Elite_Regulator.JPG (22.5 KiB) Viewed 4561 times
Post Reply